Fryer on baseball: National Classic still a showcase for top teams

This is the best National Classic field in several years.
The National Classic, which started Monday, has the No. 1 team in Baseball America’s national rankings, Buchanan of Clovis, in it. Also playing in the tournament is Basic Academy of Henderson, Nev., which was nationally ranked earlier this season and now has a 14-3 record after losing to Mission Viejo in a first-round game Monday.
IMG Academy of Bradenton, Fla., came into the tournament with a 15-3 record. IMG was no-hit by Oaks Christian of Westlake Village in a first-round game Monday.
The tournament has had some sponsors come and go since it started in 1989 – it was the Upper Deck Classic when it started and later was the Toyo Tires National Classic and Dole National Classic among other names.